Date Finished: 14/09/2012
My Rating: 3/5
Crime and Punishment, as it's title suggests, isn't exactly a barrel of laughs. As such I tried really hard to have it finished before we went on our honeymoon, but I was just too busy, so it came with us!
It is the story of a young Russian man, Raskolnikov, who, quite frankly, has some mental health issues. He plans and carries out the murder of an old pawn broker, thinking that he can commit his crime without feeling guilty and without being discovered. Don't worry, I haven't spoilt the story... this happens fairly early on.
The rest of the book demonstrates the subsequent turmoil he finds himself in. Paranoid to the point that it makes him ill, Dostoyevsky very neatly tells a detective tale from the viewpoint of the perpetrator. It is dark, has a social sub-plot, and due to the translation (and age of the story I guess), Crime and Punishment is quite a hard book to get through. However it is actually worth it. It is beautifully written, and the character's are colourful and well developed throughout the book.
It does have some ridiculous bits in it, like women fainting because they hear some bad news, but that's a common theme throughout a lot of old novels, and we've moved on from that.
So, who should read this book? This is one for people who like to get really involved with a gritty story and who don't mind a challenge. If this is you, there's a good chance that you'll appreciate Crime and Punishment.
Next book: Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer
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